/prag mat"iks/ , n. ( used with a sing. v. )
1. Logic , Philos. the branch of semiotics dealing with the causal and other relations between words, expressions, or symbols and their users.
2. Ling. the analysis of language in terms of the situational context within which utterances are made, including the knowledge and beliefs of the speaker and the relation between speaker and listener.
3. practical considerations.
[ 1935-40; see PRAGMATIC, -ICS ]